The present invention relates to an optical disk apparatus used with an uncovered optical disk or an optical disk cartridge inserted.
One known type of optical disk apparatus is provided with a tray which can move into or out of the interior of an outer casing. When the tray is pulled out, either an uncovered optical disk or an optical disk cartridge is placed on the tray, and then the tray is pushed into the interior of the outer casing.
Inside the outer casing, the optical disk is set on a turntable and rotated by a driving motor. During rotation, the optical disk is scanned with a light beam emitted from an optical head, and information processing is carried out.
The known optical disk apparatuses include a type which can be used as a vertical type or a horizontal type according to need. In other words, it can be used in the state where it is stood or laid.
Where the optical disk apparatus is stood and an uncovered optical disk is used, the disk should not be merely placed on the tray. This is because the disk will fall off the tray when the tray is vertical.
To prevent the optical disk from falling, the tray is provided with holding claws, and the tip ends of these holding claws are engaged with the outer circumference of the disk. Since the disk is held by the claws, it does not fall off the tray even when the tray is vertical. However, when the optical disk is set on the turntable and rotated, with the holding claws engaged therewith, it is likely that the tip ends of the claws will damage the surface of the disk.
To solve this problem, the holding claws are moved away from the optical disk to a retreat position when the disk is placed on the turntable. As long as the tip ends of the holding claws are kept away from the disk, damage to the disk is prevented.
In the conventional art, the tip ends of the holding claws are moved away from the disk even if the optical disk is stored in a cartridge. Due to this, it is likely that the tip ends of the holding claws will collide with the cartridge, resulting in damage.
In an effort to solve this problem, a certain space is provided between the tray and the cartridge in the case of the prior art. Although this structure prevents the tip ends of the holding claws and the cartridge from interfering with each other, the optical disk apparatus is inevitably large in size.
The present invention has been made in due consideration of the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide an optical disk apparatus capable of preventing interference between a holding means and a cartridge, with no need to provide a space between a tray and a cartridge.
To achieve this object, the present invention provides an optical disk apparatus comprising: an outer casing; tray means, being movable into or out of the outer casing, for supporting an optical disk placed thereon for information processing, the optical disk being one of an uncovered type and a cartridge type; optical disk driving means, arranged inside the outer casing, for rotating the optical disk when the optical disk is fitted thereon after it is conveyed into the outer casing while being held on the tray means; holding means, provided for the tray means, for holding the optical disk when the outer casing is stood and the optical disk is an uncovered type; and retreat means for retreating the holding means in a direction away from the optical disk only when the optical disk held by the holding means is fitted on the optical disk driving means.
With this structure, the holding means is not retreated when the optical disk stored in the cartridge is set on the driving means. Accordingly, interference between the cartridge and the holding means can be prevented without providing a space therebetween.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The object and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.